Washington statute
RCW 9.94A.450 — Plea dispositions
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Chapter 9.94A: Sentencing Reform Act Of 1981, Revised Code of Washington.
Full text of RCW 9.94A.450
Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the official text of the Revised Code of Washington from the Code Reviser's published files; it is not the official statutes of the State of Washington.
STANDARD: (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, a defendant will normally be expected to plead guilty to the charge or charges which adequately describe the nature of his or her criminal conduct or go to trial.
(2) In certain circumstances, a plea agreement with a defendant in exchange for a plea of guilty to a charge or charges that may not fully describe the nature of his or her criminal conduct may be necessary and in the public interest. Such situations may include the following:
(a) Evidentiary problems which make conviction on the original charges doubtful;
(b) The defendant's willingness to cooperate in the investigation or prosecution of others whose criminal conduct is more serious or represents a greater public threat;
(c) A request by the victim when it is not the result of pressure from the defendant;
(d) The discovery of facts which mitigate the seriousness of the defendant's conduct;
(e) The correction of errors in the initial charging decision;
(f) The defendant's history with respect to criminal activity;
(g) The nature and seriousness of the offense or offenses charged;
(h) The probable effect on witnesses.
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This reference is informational and is not legal advice.